Alfredo Pacheco, New Dangerman For Red Bulls

Yes the Red Bulls scored two goals at home against Real Salt Lake, Yes they got their first win of the season and jumped the table in the east, but besides those two major woes that are now sighs of relief. The newest star on the back line is Salvadorian National Team defender Alfredo Pacheco. Most of you saw him against the USA in the World Cup Qualifier and now you will see him perform for the New York Red Bulls.

Every time he had the ball he would quickly set up the offense or spring them into an attacking run with his long looping crosses to break the off-sides trap and create a goal scoring opportunity. It was in the 13th minute after Red Bull got their early goal that Pacheco looked up at the near side and sent a looping cross towards Macoumba Kandji who broke the off-sides trap and made that chance from nothing to something. Even though Kandji didn’t score again, you saw a glimpse of brilliance from the Salvadorian National Team defender. The ball seems to be bouncing positive off his feet, legs & head. Asking him to defend is also not a problem as he would track back and stop the oppositions scoring chances. He challenged all match long at Giants Stadium and gave no quarter.

He was sought after by Head Coach Juan Carlos Osorio during a trip to the UNCAF Nations Cup and wanted to bring him over. Pacheco was anxious to come and prove his worth & talked to the local media about his move to MLS while still playing for his club in El Salvador F.A.S. When the loan deal finally went thru it would be two years and Red Bull had to pay $30,000 a year with an option to buy. But once Pacheco came over there was a problem being reported. Pacheco’s ITC Card never came and he was forced to miss the road match at the Houston Dynamo. F.A.S. claimed that Red Bull never paid the $30,000 dollars, but Jeff Agoos said the club did so up front and got the contract with the seal of F.A.S. on it. A possible shake down move by the Salvadorian club that knew very well they lost a fantastic player with the capabilities of Pacheco.

After the match Juan Carlos Osorio talked about him “I don’t want to speak to soon, but this is a long, long process trying to get Alfredo here like four to five months. And now he showed today why I wanted him so bad.”Once again Pacheco has filled a hole for this club as Osorio was looking for some offense in another position outside the wing midfielders and the strikers.

Pacheco was also relieved to be on the field for RBNY finally. “I felt comfortable out on the field. I have good partners in front of me & the side of me and I felt very good, communication was good and every time I step on to the field I want to win games.”You could tell right away the confidence this man has on the field and inside the locker room. He has the hunger and desire to gets wins for the club and wanting to be here in MLS.

Of course the other pieces to Osorio’s puzzle are either serving one match suspensions or trying to get back from nagging injuries. Carlos Johnson will be available for the Thursday night game in Kansas City, but Jeremy Hall got a straight red for a late challenge on Will Johnson. Albert Celades is still nursing a hamstring injury, but when everyone is fully fit & a full squad is on the bench, there is a possibility that Red Bull will be ready to challenge everyone in the league and get ready for the CONCACAF Champions League debut.

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5 Comments

LI MattApril 19, 2009

Pacheco looked real good last night.

I’m not getting overly carried away about the Red Bulls’ prospects just yet, though. Jorge Rojas needs to pick up his game several notches (hopefully Celades will help with that). Goldthwaite had a good game at centerback, but I’m still not completely sold on him.

very solid in his debut. you can tell he knows his left side of the field and he was always alert. very solid, and I only see him getting better once he gets more confortable with his teammates. no question, very good acquisition for the Red bulls.